Three Magical Little Words
by ClaireBear1982
Summary: Tony and Ziva are skating around their feelings for one another. But who will break first? Tiva. Rated T for swearing.
1. Skating

A/N: Hello my lovely NCIS followers. I've started a new Tiva story. I think this will most likely replace 'Nothing Else Matters' as I'm still really not happy with it at all. Anyway if you can please read and review and let me know what you think then I'd appreciate it.

"Tony?".

Tony looked up at his partner across the spaces between their two desks.

"What's up Ziva?" he asked briskly.

Ziva winced. Tony had not reacted well to the fact that she had a new man in her life. They were still playing cat and mouse with each other. Either refusing to just give in and say those three magical little words 'I love you'.

"Tony, can you please not be like this?" Ziva asked.

"Like what Zeevah?" Tony drawled.

"You have become incredibly cold and distant since..," she stopped.

Ziva willed herself to carry on before she entirely faltered.

"Since I started dating Troy. I do not understand why Tony, he is a good guy and he treats me well."

Inwardly Tony flinched. He knew she was right. He HAD been acting cooler and more distant towards her since he found out from Abby about Troy. He felt like yet again Ziva had punched a hole in his rib cage and ripped his heart out of his chest and held it up for him to see. He couldn't handle the thought of Ziva in another mans arms, the very thought caused his heart and his breathing to constrict. But if he did say the words he longed to say, he was scared that Ziva would run a mile in record time, never mind the fact of recent events and their 'open and honest policy'. He was pissed at her for not telling him herself about Troy. All in all he was a walking welter of emotions again.

"Tony?".

Ziva was stood by his desk. He looked up into her deep brown eyes, he thought he saw a glimmer of something in her eyes, but when he looked again it was gone.

"Hey guys, what you talking about?" asked Abby. Making both Agents jump.

"Abs, what's up?" asked Tony, plastering a smile on his face.

"I came to see Ziva," said Abby, her trademark smile on her face.

"What can I do for you Abby?" asked Ziva politely.

"I need to talk to you."

Abby took Ziva by the elbow and drew her away. Tony heard the elevator ding for the first time that day, he looked up and saw Gibbs striding into the Bullpen.

"Morning Boss," said Tony.

"DiNozzo, you're in early," commented Gibbs.

"Haven't been home Boss," said Tony truthfully.

Gibbs took another look at his senior field agent and realised that indeed Tony hadn't been home as his desk was littered with papers and he was still wearing the same outfit as the day before. His bin was overflowing with coffee cups and vending machine wrappers and a couple of Chinese takeaway cartons.

"Tony, go take a shower," ordered Gibbs.

"Yes Boss."

Tony got up, stretched and rolled his head, something went click and Tony stifled a 'Ouch'.

"You want to get that seen to DiNozzo," quipped Gibbs.

Tony grinned and headed for the showers and for a change of clothes.

Upon his return, McGee had arrived and Ziva was back at her desk.

"Morning Tony," said McGee with a smile.

"Morning Elf Lord, what's with the grin?".

"Nothing, why?" asked Tim.

"Don't lie McGeek, did you have sex last night?" asked Tony heartily.

"I really don't think that's any of your business," came the voice of Leon Vance from behind Tony.

"Director, how are you?" asked Tony, totally unabashed.

"Good, now have you finished going over that file I asked you to look at?" asked Vance forthrightly.

"I have," said Tony and moved for his desk.

Tony rummaged through the papers and eventually found said file on top of his blotter.

"There you go Director."

"Thank you DiNozzo."

With that Vance headed off in the direction of his office.

"Tony?" asked Ziva.

He looked over at her. It seemed she was determined to get an answer out of him.

"Ziva, it's your life you can date whoever you like, you don't have to explain to me," said Tony quietly and looking directly at her.

Ziva shifted her gaze and looked down her desk. She didn't want him to see the tears that had welled up in her eyes. She blinked rapidly to rid herself of the tears before they could fall. Truth was she loved Tony so dearly, but she didn't want to be the one to make the first move. Also she wasn't entirely sure of his true feelings for her. What if she did make the first move? What if he rebuffed her? She didn't think he heart could take the torment of rejection. She'd already lost her family, most recently her father. Eli David had been gone from this Earth for a year already. She couldn't take it if she lost her partner too.

She turned her thoughts to Troy. They'd been dating about six weeks, he was tall and athletic. He had broad shoulders and bright green eyes and short chestnut wavy hair. He worked at the gym, close to where Ziva lived in Georgetown. He drove a convertible Chevy. He was sweet and shy, but a gentleman. She liked him very much. They'd only two nights ago been out to dinner at a little Italian restaurant in Virginia. He'd been very sweet towards her and not rushed her, they'd talked for ages about nothing at all. Eventually he'd driven her home and she didn't invite him up for coffee. But he'd given her a sweet little kiss on the cheek and left it at that.

Ziva was pulled out of her thoughts by Gibbs.

"Grab your gear, dead Marine wife at Quantico."


	2. A Cold Task

When they arrived at the crime scene on the base, they were all hit by a blast of freezing frigid air as they entered the property where the deceased had lived.

"Damn that's freezing in here," commented Tony.

"It's going to make determining the time of death a lot harder too," came Ducky's voice from behind them.

Tony whipped round to greet the aged pathologist and the autopsy gremlin Mr. Palmer.

"Hey Duckman how's it going?"

Gibbs came up beside Tony and promptly gave him a smack upside the head.

"Get to work DiNozzo, the quicker we get done, the quicker we can get out of this ice box," said Gibbs rubbing his hands together.

"Hey Duck."

"Jethro."

"What we got Duck?"

"Only time will tell. Mr. Palmer get the gurney," asked Doctor Mallard.

"Yes doctor," Jimmy obeyed.

Everyone flittered around doing their assigned tasks. Finally they were on their way back to the Navy Yard in DC.

On the journey back Gibbs and McGee had been in one charger, Tony and Ziva in the other. The car journey for Tony and Ziva had been less than comfortable, they'd both sat there in strained silence, both feeling awkward and just willing the journey to be over. Tony attempted polite conversation.

"So how you been recently?"

"I am fine Tony thank you," said Ziva shortly.

"How's Troy?" asked Tony a fine edge of anger in his voice.

"I do not wish to talk about Troy to you Tony," said Ziva curtly.

"Why? What are you trying to hide from me Ziva?" asked Tony out of curiosity.

"I am not hiding anything Tony, I just do not wish to talk about it."

After that the rest of the journey was made in silence. Tony knew better than to antagonise Ziva whilst she drove. Her driving could be terrifying enough, to piss her off would make her all the angrier and reckless.

Once they arrived back at the Navy Yard, Gibbs went for a coffee refill, and Tony headed for the break room to get a can of soda, he also needed to get away from Ziva for a few moments. That female was playing the very devil with his feelings and he couldn't handle it. He stood in front of the soda and tried to feed it a dollar, but the cantankerous machine wasn't having a bar of it, such was his frustration, Tony set about the machine, smacking it and kicking it. Eventually a can rolled out, it wasn't what he wanted, but he made do.

Later in the Bullpen.

The victim it appeared had been stabbed thrice in the back and pierced both lungs, the third blow had ruptured the spleen. The knife which when Ducky had measured the wounds turned out to be a short sword length.

"The victim was Alicia Graves, twenty six, from Connecticut. Has one sister, Angela aged fifteen, who lives with an aunt. Married to Staff Sergeant Graham Graves for four years. Moved to Quantico six months ago when the Staff Sergeant was promoted. Works as a lounge singer in Georgetown," said Tim.

Gibbs cell rang and he disappeared in the direction of MTAC. When he returned he was straight into action.

"Tim, bank records, phone records, emails. Tony, you and I are going to see the owner of the club," said Gibbs.

"What about me Gibbs?" asked Ziva.

"See if you can find anything to give us a lead."

Gibbs headed for the elevator, Tony on his six.

When they reconvened later they still didn't have much to go on. Gibbs was pinning his hopes on Abby and that she would find something. In the meantime he got Ziva to follow him to the elevator, once inside he threw the emergency switch button and the elevator ground to a halt.

"Ziva, how are you?" asked Gibbs trying to assess Ziva.

"I am fine Gibbs, what do you need?"

"I need you to go undercover, I'm not happy with that club owners story and I need someone on the inside, you up for it?" asked Gibbs again trying to assess the pretty female agent in the dim light of the elevator.

"I can do that Gibbs," said Ziva immediately.

"Good, now go straight down to Abby's lab and get working."

Gibbs threw the switch and the elevator dinged and Ziva made for Abby's lab.

A/N: Omg you guys! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can't believe how well this story has taken off! You lot are amazing, you all gave me such warm fuzzies, so for that my profuse thanks goes to:

Followers: Aomi112, EMT1215, Lister4eva, LuluMcGufu, McWritersblock, blarney, Kakus5, Katrina2502, nicisehlen, queenbee1711, shevie314 and tenisbabe.

Favouriters: Skylar Owens, bookdiva, Kakus5, nicisehlen and shevie314. Reviewers: P60B40 and bookdiva.


End file.
